December 09, 2007

The Twelve Days of Christmas

You may remember from here that I recently finished a project for Gina Armfield's 12 Days of Christmas Swap. I want to take this opportunity to share a little more in-depth what that project was. I started with the Christmas carol, "The Twelve Days of Christmas," which happens to be a favorite of mine. Over the years we've collected a number of books by different illustrators of this carol. At some point we came across "The Real Twelve Days of Christmas" by Helen Haidle which details the real meaning and history behind the words. I decided to create 12 original collage illustrations using various images and ephemera including many snippets from a 1964 Webster's Dictionary that I picked up at a garage sale this past summer (oh, how I love old dictionaries!). Once the collages were complete, I made color copies of all of them and pasted them into accordion fold books which I also made by hand. I also stitched a border around each image with my sewing machine. I was very happy with the end result and I hope that all the participants in the swap enjoyed them!

Here are the finished books (the accordion folded pages are 36" long when opened fully and the finished size of the book when folded up is approximately 3 X 3):

For the swap I included a sheet with the detailed history and meaning of the song. I will reprint that information here with detail shots of the individual collages...

THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

What is the real meaning behind "The Twelve Days of Christmas?" In the sixteenth century, England proclaimed an official state church, and any other religious teaching was strictly forbidden. So for the next three centuries, those who refused to join the state church developed creative ways to teach children their beliefs. One popular method was to use lyrics and song. In the well-known carol, "The Twelve Days of Christmas," many secret Christian symbols are concealed in the lyrics. This cheerful song, about a generous benefactor who loved to give, could be freely sung without ever using God's name, because "my true love" refers to God. The partridge, turtledoves, French hens, calling birds, and other images all symbolized elements of the Christian faith. Hopefully learning the history of the lyrics will bring you a new appreciation for this familiar carol.

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me a partridge in a pear tree. The first gift of this Christmas song is a partridge, a small bird similar to a quail or a grouse. The original gift of Christmas is Jesus, sent to earth from God. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:15-17) The partridge was known as a valiant bird, willing to fight to the death in order to defend its young. The bird's readiness to die for its young made it an ancient Christian symbol of Christ. The pear tree represents the cross.

On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me two turtledoves. For hundreds of years, Jewish families used turtledoves as offerings to God. The gift of two turtledoves is a reminder of the sacrifice offered for Jesus by Mary and Joseph. When Jesus was forty days old, they took him to the temple in Jerusalem. They brought a sacrifice of two turtledoves as was required by the law.

On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me three French hens. French hens were valuable poultry during the sixteenth century - only the rich could afford them. These costly birds symbolized the three valuable gifts given to Jesus by the wise men: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Gold was the most precious of all metals. Frankincense and myrrh were expensive spices used as incense and for burials.

On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me four calling birds. The four calling birds are reminders of the four Gospel writers: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These writers of the first four books of the New Testament proclaimed the testimony of Jesus' life and teachings. Like birds calling out with loud and distinctive voices, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John spread abroad the news of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. They called people to faith in Jesus as their Savior.

On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me five golden rings. Gold rings are among the most valuable and treasured of all gifts. The five golden rings represent the first five books of the Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. These books, know to the Jews as the Torah, were treated with great reverence and considered to be worth more than gold. In these books, Moses, the commonly accepted author, records the creation story and the beginning history of the people of Israel.

On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me six geese a-laying. In many cultures, eggs symbolize new life. Six geese laying eggs become reminders of the six days of creation when God, by his Word, brought forth life on earth. God spoke and filled the earth with plants, birds, animals, and people during the first six days of creation, as found in chapter one of the book of Genesis.

On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me seven swans a-swimming. Seven swans symbolize the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. Just as baby swans grow and change from "ugly ducklings" into beautiful and graceful birds, so do God's children grow and change through the work of the Holy Spirit. The various gifts of the Holy Spirit are distributed for the benefit of the entire body of Christ.

On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me eight maids a-milking. The eight milking maidens represent the eight unique teachings of Jesus sometimes called the Beatitudes. These words of Jesus, from his Sermon on the Mount, nurture and strengthen us much the way milk nourishes a child.

On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me nine ladies dancing. The nine ladies remind us of the nine different fruits that the Holy Spirit produces in the lives of God's children. Just as these ladies dance joyfully, so can every Christian rejoice over the life-changing fruit of the Holy Spirit. Gifts like love and joy and peace are worthy of great celebration!

On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me ten lords a-leaping. Lords were men with authority to command people's obedience. Ten lords a-leaping symbolize God's ten basic laws, otherwise known as the Ten Commandments (found in Exodus 20:1-17).

On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me eleven pipers piping. Eleven pipers represent the elven apostles who were chosen by Jesus and remained faithful to him (there were twelve before the betrayal and suicide of Judas). Like children joyfully following a piper, these disciples followed Jesus. They also called others to follow him. They piped an everlasting tune of great joy - the salvation message of Jesus' resurrection from the dead.

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me twelve drummers drumming. Just as drummers beat out a loud, steady rhythm for marchers to follow, so the Apostles' Creed sets forth the beliefs of those who call themselves Christians. The twelve drummers represent the twelve vital Christian beliefs as stated in the Apostles' Creed.

(Information taken from the book, "The Real Twelve Days of Christmas," by Helen Haidle)